Brief and Cut Short, Like Kiffin's Career

The following is a draft I’d started yesterday, before being distracted by phone calls regarding “the more recent late unpleasantness” as a friend delicately described the situation. I’m no longer feeling inclined to finish it, but thought I’d share the beginnings anyway. Mostly so I could throw in the link about the student riots.

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We’re heading into the twenty-fourth hour since Kiffin’s shocking announcement and the smoke is starting to clear from the burning mattresses (I’m the proudest UT alum you’ll ever meet, but seriously? I don’t know why we feel compelled to burn mattresses at large provocations. Where do we get all these mattresses?). The anger is subsiding into wary wonder at who will be the next to take our helm.

Before we discuss the future, let’s discuss the past. The visceral, violent reaction might seem out of proportion to his offense. Sure, it’s totally trashy and shady to leave a team after a mere year. It’s even worse to do it just three weeks before signing day. But we all have dream jobs, and are you going to turn yours down just because of ill-fated timing?

No, but here’s what gets our goat. Or mine, shall I say. I’ll be uncharacteristically modest and not presume to speak for the entirety of VolNation. No one likes to be duped, but that’s exactly what happened. After so many years suffering under the pasty, bland leadership of a doughboy like Fulmer, I fell for the charms of a bad boy. Even then, I knew it was a risk, hiring a mercenary coach. An outsider with no loyalty to the SEC and no ties except a fat contract. I ignored my misgivings because of his energy, his….passion is not the word for it- but the way he was able to revigorate the fanbase.

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I don’t know where I was heading this, other than: no one likes being duped, and that’s exactly what I was.